Page 91 of Winter’s Teeth

Everly shuffled in closer on her knees stained with wet snow and dirt. “Ben Wisniewski?”

“Yeah, you remember?”

She nodded. “How could I forget? He doesn’t stop staring at you whenever he’s with you. I thought he was gonna propose every time he was around.”

My gaze flit over my sister’s head to Fox, trying to catch his reaction, but his expression was shrouded in the shadow from a branch cutting across his face. It wasn’t the nation’s greatest secret that Ben had a thing for me, but I hadn’t said it out loud to anyone, fearful that if I spoke it into existence, I wouldn’t be able to keep it at bay any longer.

Ben’s voice buzzed on the radio. “We’re pulled over on the side of the road. Tell me when you guys get out of the woods, and we’ll start patrolling to find you if we don’t see you close by.”

“Roger that,” I said, then jumped up a little too quickly to my feet, forgetting that I’d most definitely re-sprained or officially broken my ankle a few minutes ago.

Before I could go down again, Fox caught me by the arm, holding me upright. “Easy, Rae,” he rasped by my ear, making my body prickle with desire despite the pain radiating up my leg. “I’ve got you. Can you walk? Everly—”

“Can walk just fine on her own,” my sister said, a bit of her usual confidence and arrogance returning to her voice. She stood behind me, jaw clenched tightly. Her eyes though... They were still so far away—still locked away in a cabin in the deepest, darkest part of the forest.

Fox wasted no time hiking me onto his back, hands under my thighs.

“This feels familiar,” I muttered.

“Quit getting hurt and I won’t have to keep carrying you.”

“Technically it’s the same injury.”

“Technically you keep doing stupid shit.”

I fought the urge to bite his ear. My sister was right there, and probably confused out of her mind.

“Uh, Evie—” I started.

“Come on.” She took several steps ahead, pointing into the trees beyond the cliff face. “I heard cars passing that way. Is Ben waiting there?”

“At least one of the Bennett sisters has a sense of direction.”

That time, I did bite Fox. Right on the rim of his ear.

“Easy,” he chastised. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

Maybe not... But we were so damn close. The second we broke through the trees onto the road, I half expected a truck to come barreling at us with blinding headlights.

Luckily, there were no more near-death experiences. Shira’s car pulled up, and Corbin rolled down the window with a broad grin. “There you are. Took you long enough.”

“Shut up,” Fox grunted. “Rae actually sped things up.”

“Really? I’m gonna need to hear that story.” Corbin motioned to the back seat with a jerk of his head.

Just then, a chorus of howls rent the air.

I paled, ice dumping over my head in a curtain of dread.

“August just found Gavin,” Fox intoned. “Get in. Fast.”

“Gavin? What happened to Gavin?” Corbin asked as he buckled in, motioning for Shira to put the car in drive.

“Ask Rae.”

Fox’s words were dry. Clipped. If he faulted me for it, he had yet to say it.

The worst part though? I didn’t regret it for a second. I had blood on my hands, and my only disappointment was that he hadn’t suffered longer. He hadn’t experienced the pain he put Fox through. He didn’t atone even a drop for what he did to the truck driver.